Many dogs love to splash around in water and there is no question that these hot days invite a cool, refreshing dunk but for an eight-year-old abandoned Labrador that was apparently suffering from heavy thirst and longing to drink, jumped in over her head into a trap with no way out. Fortunately, her life was saved thanks to another successful rescue by SPCA Israel. This week, the SPCA Israel Hotline received a call from Avshalom Cohen from Kibbutz Yavne about a dog that was trapped in the sewage reservoir located in the agricultural lands and used to treat polluted water for agricultural purposes. As in many other cases, the local authority was supposed to help the dog but the Ashdod Municipal Association informed Cohen that they cannot help and referred him to the SPCA Israel.
Eyal Gatniv, an animal rescuer with SPCA Israel, immediately traveled to the site, where he discovered that the walls of the reservoir were covered with slippery nylon. The dog was swimming in the pool, holding her head above water with her last remaining strength and was unable to extract herself. With a rope that he brought with him, Gatniv tied one end to his body. After one hour of efforts, Gatniv finally managed to tie the other end of the rope onto the dog's body and drag the dog out of the polluted and dangerous water. Based on the level of the dog's exhaustion, it appears that the dog had been trapped in the reservoir since the early morning hours at minimum and possibly since the day before. According to Gatniv, if they hadn't arrived within a reasonable amount of time, the dog probably would have died a horrible death.

The dog was immediately transferred to the SPCA Israel's veterinary clinic, where he underwent a medical bath that includes treatment in water with material that calms the skin and anti-flea and tic treatment. SPCA Israel veterinarian Dr. Aya Perry reported that the dog was placed under medical supervision and that an examination of the dog revealed an enlarged lymph node, possibly indicating erlichiosis and other tumors but only laboratory tests can determine whether these growths are cancerous. The dog also suffers from a skin disease called Demodex. The miserable dog did not have a chip and was apparently abandoned by its owner. We hope to find a suitable, responsible family to raise her once she recovers. We wish to express our gratitude to Avshalom Cohen for his alertness and insistence on helping to rescue the dog. The SPCA Israel encourages the Israeli public to be aware of the suffering of animals and to ensure that no animals are abandoned and left to their fate. It is important to realize that animals need us and we cannot get along without them. We must therefore be responsible for their safety. If you encounter an animal in distress, please do not ignore and contact the SPCA Israel at 1599-50-2005.